Day 2
Outer and Inner Thighs
Lower Back
To preserve openness of heart and calmness of mind, nurture these attitudes:
Kindness to those who are happy.
“Compassion for those who are less fortunate.”
Honor for those who embody noble qualities.
Equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values.
from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (1.33)
* Today’s practice is nice if you have a smooth floor (hardwood, linoleum, etc.) to practice on. If you do not or you are sneaking this practice in at work 🙂 instead of doing the blanket drill, simply lift the leg out to the side and straight up. Then lower it back to the starting point. After the 3 reps, switch sides.)
To offer the true value of compassion, let us take a moment and look at how you actually connect with those around you.
How does it feel when someone matches your energy and thoughts? Did you ever find yourself saying, “Wow! We’re on the same wavelength?”
Now, what if you’re frustrated and angry because of an injustice towards yourself or a loved one. And the same person from above matches your levels of frustration. Do you find the intensity of the moment building? Is this an emotion that feels helpful in your body?
Have you noticed that at times others mirror your moods? When you are sad, do you run into more sad individuals or watch sad movies to comfort yourself? I love that song by John Denver, “Like a Sad Song.” Here are part of the lyrics:
“I know that life goes on just perfectly and everything is just the way that it should be.
Still there are times when my heart feels like breaking and anywhere is where I’d rather be.”
Sometimes, you might just feel like a sad song. That’s cool.
It’s important to validate the feelings that bubble up and say hello them. After that, it’s up to you what you are going to do with those feelings. Do you wish to wrap them around you like a blanket and snuggle in? That can be okay. And at some point if the feeling isn’t helping you reach your highest potential, it serves you best to process it and let it go.
It is vital that you know where your feelings begin and end.
Compassion has been defined to mean the act or capacity for sharing the painful feelings of another. If you empathize with another, especially if they mirror your mood or energy in some small way, you must be super mindful. You might find yourself taking on their mood or story completely as your own.
So, how do you have “Compassion for those who are less fortunate.”?
Stand before them and see them at their highest potential. If matching their energy is only going to make their current energy more intense. Reflect back to them all the possibility, goodness, and love you see within them. No matter how small it seems. Allow them to see themselves through your lens.
Let them know what is possible.
Take the higher road and maybe, just maybe they’ll make a shift for the better. Whatever that is.
In the Zoom Coaching Call I go over techniques to help you ‘hold space’ for another. This is a sweet way to offer compassion and offer inspiration to another.
The practice of yoga begins now.
Intention:
- Happy Lower Back – strengthen outer and inner thighs support the back.
- Practice finding the high point in the moment; for yourself and others.
TIME:
- 9 minutes
props:
- Maybe a chair or counter for balance.
- Blanket or Towel.
Action Steps:
Schedule Your Practice
Blanket Drill – Side View
Alternative to Blanket Drill
Spotty Wi-Fi?
Download just the yoga sequence
Click HERE to open up the pdf with the whole yoga sequence.
You can print it out and use it as a guideline if you can’t watch the video right now.
audio – mp3
Click HERE to download the mp3 file.
Coaching Call
All Calls will be done on Zoom and recorded. So don’t worry if you miss one. If you know that you will be missing a call and have questions, use the form below to send them to me. I will address them on the next call.
The first 1/3 to 1/2 of the call I will share the teaching of the week and the second 1/2 will be devoted to your questions.
Calls will take place on Tuesdays at 9:00 pm EST.
If you have never used Zoom before you will need to download the app to run on your computer, smart phone, or tablet. It’s super easy to do and only takes a minute or two. Go to this link: https://zoom.us/ and get set up. Let me know in the question form below if you have any problems.
Coaching Call Link
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/5666936286
Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +14086380968,5666936286# or +16465588656,5666936286#
Or Telephone:
Dial: +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) or +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll)
Meeting ID: 566 693 6286
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/zoomconference?m=dX196x9zNGrmq4Zx-_lr3MmLFbBxSssd
Coaching Call Dates
* All calls will be at 9:00 pm EST and run for 30-45 minutes.
September 27, 2016 – Kindness to those who are happy. I.33
October 4, 2016 – Compassion for those who are less fortunate. I.33
October 11, 2016 – Honor for those who embody noble qualities. I.33
October 18, 2016 – Equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values. I.33
October 25, 2016 – Engage the focus on an inspiring object. I.35
November 1, 2016 – Dedicate yourself to anything that elevates and embraces your heart. – I.39
Missed A Practice?
Day 1
Happy Lower Back – strengthen the Transverse Abdominals to support the back.
QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS?
Thank you for playing with me today! I’ll see you on your mat!
with love and light,
xoxo